Spectroscopic analysis of fluids, including gasses, has greatly advanced since its initial experimentation and usage commencing in the 1950's. Among the techniques currently in use has been the passing of a fluid to be analyzed through a tube having at least one branch, and inserting into one of the branches a detecting head which, in essence, is an orificed chamber containing a dye or combination of dyes which react to the fluid content to produce color changes. These color changes are then conveyed by a fiber optic element to a computerized analyzer which produces a digital reading providing intelligence as to the characteristics of the fluid.
A specific application of this technique for blood content analysis is called "optical fluorescence microprocessing". In this procedure, certain specific parameters of interest in blood, such as hydrogen ion, carbon dioxide and oxygen are determined, subjecting a portion of the blood flow to membranes having fluorescent chemicals specific to each such parameter. These chemicals are activated by light arriving through a fiber optic element, such as strands of a cable, to produce fluorescence with a light intensity which will vary depending upon the concentration of the subject parameter being measured. Such variance is picked up by other strands of the fiber optic cable and transmitted back to an analyzer which produces an alpha numeric display reading. Such apparatus may thus produce on line readings of such important parameters in real time and provide such critical information to a cardiovascular or other surgeon and to those assisting him in an operation or other medical procedure.
While this optical fluorescence microsensing technique may be quite effective, heretofore devices used to produce the color response upon exposure to the fluid, have been not only somewhat cumbersome but costly. Prior art systems, such as those made and sold by Cardiovascular Devices, Inc. of Irvine, Calif., have comprised special flow through devices connected by inlet and outlet conduits to provide blood flow and a sensor attachment to the flow through device. However, since both the flow through device and its sensor attachment come into direct contact with the fluid, they must be disposed of after certain uses, and cannot be reused, thereby rendering such detection and analysis procedure quite costly.